Deuteronomy Chapter 19

Deuteronomy Chapter 19
1 When the Lord thy God shall root out
the nations, whose land the Lord thy God
giveth thee, and thou shalt possess them,
and dwell in their cities, and in their
houses,
2 Thou shalt separate three cities for
thee in the midst of thy land which the
Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it.
3 Thou shalt prepare thee the way, and
divide the coasts of the land, which the
Lord thy God giveth thee to inherit, into
three parts, that every manslayer may
flee thither.
4 This also is the cause wherefore the
manslayer shall flee thither, and live:
who so killeth his neighbor ignorantly,
and hated him not in time passed: 5 As
he that goeth unto the wood with his
neighbor to hew wood, and his hand
striketh with the ax to cut down the tree,
if the head slip from the helve, and hit
his neighbor that he dieth, the same shall
flee unto one of the cities, and live,
6 Lest the avenger of the blood follow
after the manslayer, while his heart is
chafed, and overtake him, because the
way is long, and slay him, although he be
not worthy of death, because he hated
him not in time passed. 7 Wherefore I
command thee, saying, Thou shalt
appoint out three cities for thee.
8 And when the Lord thy God enlargeth
thy coasts (as he hath sworn unto thy
fathers) and giveth thee all the land
which he promised to give unto thy
fathers,
9 (If thou keep all these commandments
to do them, which I command thee this
day: to wit, that thou love the Lord thy
God, and walk in his ways forever) then
shalt thou add three cities more for thee
besides those three, 10 That innocent
blood be not shed within thy land, which
the Lord thy God giveth thee to inherit,
lest blood be upon thee.
11 But if a man hate his neighbor, and
lay wait for him, and rise against him,
and smite any man that he die, and flee
unto any of these cities, 12 Then the
elders of his city shall send and set him
thence, and deliver him into the hands of
the avenger of the blood, that he may die.
13 Thine eye shall not spare him, but
thou shalt put away the cry of innocent
blood from Israel, that it may go well
with thee.
14 Thou shalt not remove thy neighbor’s
mark, which they of old time have set in
thine inheritance, that thou shalt inherit
in the land, which the Lord thy God
giveth thee to possess it.
15 One witness shall not rise against a
man for any trespass, or for any sin, or
for any fault that he offendeth in, but at
the mouth of two witnesses or at the
mouth of three witnesses shall the matter
be stablished.
16 If a false witness rise up against a
man to accuse him of trespass, 17 Then
both the men which strive together, shall
stand before the Lord, even before the
priests and the judges, which shall be in
those days, 18 And the judges shall make
diligent inquisition: and if the witness be
found false, and hath given false witness
against his brother, 19 Then shall ye do
unto him as he had thought to do unto his
brother: so thou shalt take evil away
forth of the midst of thee.
20 And the rest shall hear this, and fear,
and shall henceforth commit no more any
such wickedness among you.
21 Therefore thine eye shall have no
compassion, but life for life, eye for eye,
tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for
foot.